Rural population as a share of total population fell 1.54% to 30.7% in South Africa in 2024, according to the National Statistical Office.
Historically, rural population as a share of total population in South Africa reached an all time high of 53.4% in 1960 and an all time low of 30.7% in 2024. When compared to South Africa's main peers, rural population as a share of total population in Botswana amounted to 26.5%, 69.1% in Lesotho, 44.2% in Namibia and 75.0% in Swaziland in 2024.
South Africa has been ranked 104th within the group of 171 countries we follow in terms of rural population as a share of total population, 6 places below the position seen 10 years ago.
| Rural Population (As % of Total) | Unit | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
| Angola | % | 34.5% | 33.8% | 33.2% | 32.5% | 31.9% | ||||||||||||||||
| Botswana | % | 30.6% | 29.8% | 29.1% | 28.4% | 27.8% | ||||||||||||||||
| Lesotho | % | 71.8% | 71.4% | 71.0% | 70.5% | 70.1% | ||||||||||||||||
| Mozambique | % | 64.0% | 63.5% | 62.9% | 62.4% | 61.8% | ||||||||||||||||
| Namibia | % | 50.0% | 49.0% | 48.0% | 47.0% | 46.0% | ||||||||||||||||
| South Africa | % | 33.6% | 33.1% | 32.6% | 32.2% | 31.7% | ||||||||||||||||
| Swaziland | % | 76.2% | 76.0% | 75.8% | 75.6% | 75.4% | ||||||||||||||||
| Zambia | % | 56.5% | 55.9% | 55.4% | 54.8% | 54.2% | ||||||||||||||||
| Zimbabwe | % | 67.8% | 67.8% | 67.8% | 67.7% | 67.6% |
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